Mobile devices such as digital phones and phone/PDA hybrid devices often support mobile data services and systems such as Short Message Service (SMS) and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), which allow text messages to be received and sent by mobile devices over data communication networks. SMS is a store-and-forward method of transmitting messages to and from mobile devices. A text-only message from the sending mobile device is stored in a central short message center which then forwards it to the receiving mobile device. If the recipient is not available, the short message is stored and can be sent later. Typically, messages are delivered immediately (or when the mobile device is turned on). SMS also supports return receipts. Thus, the sender, if desired, can get a message notifying if the short message was delivered to the intended recipient.
Calendar applications, which allow users to schedule and coordinate appointments, meetings, and other events which are recorded in a data store, are available for users of personal computers, PDAs, and hybrid phone/PDA devices. Calendar applications are typically capable of providing reminders to the calendar application user in advance of a scheduled appointment, meeting, or event, and may also transmit scheduling information to other users over a network, such as a local area network or the Internet. The format and transport of this information is typically in accordance with Requests for Comments (RFCs) 2445, 2446, and 2447 developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force. These RFCs define the specification and operation of Internet calendaring objects.
While calendar objects are useful for users of calendar applications that are capable of reading them, the utility of calendar objects is limited when other users who may have an interest in scheduled appointments, meetings, or events do not use the same calendar application as that used to create the objects. For example, many calendar applications use proprietary formats for encoding calendar data objects; when they are transmitted to recipient users, the recipient users can only view the objects and automatically store the relevant scheduling data in their respective data stores if they are using the same calendar application. Otherwise, either the recipient user or the sending user must use a conversion application for converting the format of the calendar object from a format compatible with the sending user's calendar application to a format compatible with the recipient user's calendar application. Further, while a recipient user using the same calendar application as the sending user can transmit an “accept” or “decline” acknowledgement to the sending user, which acknowledgement is then automatically recorded in the sending user's data store, a recipient user that is not using the same calendar application as the sending user may not be able to transmit an acknowledgement successfully.
In addition, not every intended recipient of scheduling information utilizes the same message transport that is typically used for sending calendar objects. Calendar objects may be delivered by electronic mail; however, there is a need for users of mobile devices to receive calendar information using other transport mechanisms, such as SMS. Some mobile devices are SMS-enabled, but cannot receive e-mail; other mobile devices that are normally capable of receiving e-mail messages may be temporarily unable to receive e-mail messages because they are outside the range of coverage for their e-mail transport system, yet are still able to receive alternate messages such as SMS messages. While it is known to convert a calendar object to an SMS message for delivery to a mobile device to provide a reminder of a previously scheduled meeting to a recipient using a mobile device, the SMS message simply serves as a text reminder of a meeting that is displayable to the recipient; it cannot be used to actively schedule and confirm the attendance of the SMS recipient, or to update the data store associated with a calendar application on the recipient mobile device.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a system and method for permitting users of mobile devices, in particular SMS-enabled devices, to send, receive, and schedule calendar events over a network comprising heterogeneous mobile devices.